New York’s really dumping eight feet of landfill on top of a park?

Happening in the World: Those traveling to Brazil will now have to provide a COVID-19 vaccination certificate in order to enter the country, according to a recent Supreme Court ruling. This differs from previous measures that only required a negative PCR test from foreign travelers. The new regulations are seen as another defeat for President Jair Bolsonaro, who has consistently undermined efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, it is still unclear when these new regulations will be introduced (BBC). 

Happening in the US: The University of Florida has launched a formal investigation after reports of destroyed COVID-19 research data at the university. This comes after an internal report detailed existing pressure on faculty to destroy and delay COVID-19 research data. A spokesperson for Governor Ron DeSantis has denied any involvement in these allegations, despite one faculty member alleging that the reported pressure came from the State of Florida (CNN).    

Happening in NYC: As part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, city workers have been demolishing trees at the East River Park, much to the chagrin of advocates who argue the city is violating a temporary restraining order that should have halted any work at the park. The project—costing a whopping $1.45 billion—seeks to dump eight feet of landfill and bury an existing park to build a new park on top of it within the next five years. An elevated park is meant to reduce flood risk for surrounding communities, according to city officials. However, members of the East River Park ACTION activist group accuse the city of destroying green space and disregarding other potential flood protection measures that would have preserved more of the existing park. The temporary restraining order was issued on Wednesday while the court decides if it will hear an appeal of the dismal of one of the three existing lawsuits against the city over the project (Gothamist). 

Happening in Our Community: While there are no events today, be sure to check out an event on Monday regarding the politicization of race in Brazil. Entitled “Race and Politics in Brazil: achievements and challenges,” the event features Professor Luiz Augusto Campos, an Associate Professor of Sociology and Political Science at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. The event is on Monday, December 13 from 12 to 1 pm, with more information available here.

Rio de Janeiro via Pixabay